Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
This is the Nernst equation, which calculates the electromotive force (emf) or cell potential of a redox reaction. "E" represents the total cell potential, "Ered" is the reduction potential, and "Eox" is the oxidation potential.
Related terms
Reduction Potential (Ered): The tendency of a chemical species to acquire electrons and thereby be reduced.
Oxidation Potential (Eox): The measure of the tendency of a chemical substance to lose electrons and thereby be oxidized.
Cell Potential (E): The difference between reduction potentials and oxidation potentials in an electrochemical cell; it measures how much voltage exists between two half-cells.